Gams apparatus



S. M. QUINN GAME APPARATUS Sept. 6, 1932.

Filed May 15. 1951 0 w1/u WN W, JW m H v. C m o0 m DA n l l I l l Z d a m w, 7 Q f A M1 u n e P Md 1M j v r7J-0 $0 s 5 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 sr s agraire.

GAME APPARATUS Application iled May 15,

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in game apparatus, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly eiiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

The primary object of this invention is to provide novel and entertaining apparatus for playing thereupon competitive games simul' lating football, hockey, or other games played and in which:

14, enclosing the playing board 15.

l5 view on line 3 3 in Fig. .2 illustrating a preferred mechanism for operating the strikers embodied in the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view illustrating another operating mecha- 3 nism for the strikers.

In the drawing, Which illustrates a practical embodiment of the invention, a table is indicated generally at and includes upstanding side rails 11 and 12 and end rails 13 and While in the present instance the board 15 and the rails are mounted upon legs 16 and a supporting frame 17, the legs and supporting frame may be dispensed with and the playing board and its rails set upon a table or other support.

Arranged on the board 15 after the formation of the line-up of the players in football or hockey is a plurality of strikers arranged in two groups 18 and 18 that are pivotally mounted for vertical movement in suitable slots or openings in the playing board 15. Since these strikers are all identical in construction the description to follow will be confined to one.

The game is played with a suitable ball,

1931. Serial No. 537,681.

indicated at 19, and, in general, the object of the opposing players, each using one of the groups of strikers 18 and 18', is to drive the ball into the opposing players goal, the

goals being represented by openings v20 and 21 in the rails 22 and 23 which extend parallel to the end rails, and are spaced therefrom to define areas 24 and 25'. Preferably, a felt pad 26 is provided on the playing board and felt strips 27 and 28, respectively, are like- Wise arranged on the side and end rails, and on the faces of the strikers.

Referring to Figs. 3 and'4, it will be seen that each of the strikers y18 is hinged'to the playing board l5 by means of a suitablehinge structure 29. Attached to each of the strikers, on'the underside thereof, vis a plate 30 and in the form of operating mechanism for the strikers illustrated fin Fig. 3one end of an operating rod 31 is pivotallyattached to the plate 30, as at 31. vThe otherendof the rod 30- is pivotally-attached, as at 32, to

a lever 33. The lever 3.3,is pivtally mounted, as 'at 34, on a bracket`35 Which 4is Asecured* to an end rail. a handle 36 and these handles project upwardly through slots 37 Vformed in the play-` ing board15 in the areas 24f and 25.

Each plate 30 has one end of acoil spring 38 attached thereto and the other end of this spring is secured to the board 15. By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen vthat the strikers 18 and 18 normally lie ilat (full line position of Fig. 3) and flush with the surface-v of the board 15 and thefelt pad thereon.

Each lever is provided with In playing a game with the apparatus, one of the players will roll or direct the ball 19 toward a predetermined one ofthe opposing players strikers and the opposing,A player.. Will endeavor to choose quickly and manipulate the proper handles that Will'raiseug.;

the proper striker 18 or" 18 t0 drive the-'ball back into the other players goal, and thisaction of the playerswill be repeated until one or the other drives the ballv into his opponents goal'and thereby' registers a score.

Movement of handle 36 from full to dotted line position of Fig. 3 will, obviously, pivot lever 33 at 34, and, acting through rod 31 raise the striker into dotted line position of Fig. 3, against the oncoming ball 19, plate 30 pivoting at 3l and the striker moving on hinge 29. Obviously, release of handle 35 will enable the spring 38, tensioned by upward movement of the striker, to draw plate 30 and the striker downwardly into full line position of Fig. 3 and thereby pull lever 33 into full line position.

Various other means may be employed, Within the purview of this invention, for operating the strikers, andone such mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 4. In this instance the plate 30 is pivotally connected to the movable element of a solenoid .39, this element being rod 31. The operating levers 33 are replaced by push button or other suitable switches 40, arranged in the areas 24 and 25,

and these switches 40 are in circuit with the solenoid 39 by means of conductors 41 and 42, associated with current supply line 43. By closing switch 40V solenoid 39 will attract its movable element, and rod 31, and operate the plate 30 and striker in the hereinbefore described manner.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the inventor provides a novel and entertaining gameV apparatus for playing thereupon such games as are played between opposing groups of players, it being understood that play on the apparatus is not limited to football or hockey, these having been referred to above for purposes of illustration.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

Game apparatus comprising means providing a playing surface and opposing goals, a plurality of strikers arranged in opposing groups on the playing surface, normally flush therewith, and pivotally mounted for movement in a vertical arc, and operating means for raising the strikers up from the playing surface to meet an oncoming ball with which the game is played, to drive the ball toward one of the goals, said operating means including, for each striker, a solenoid including a movable element pivotally connected to the striker, and a control switch for the solenoid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

STEPHEN M. QUINN. 

